p53 'Guardian of the Genome' and 'Policeman of the Oncogenes'

p53: 53 Kd (kilodalton) tumor suppressor protein known as TP53 coded by tumor suppresser gene p53. The name p53 derived from its molecular size.Why p53 is called p53 guardian of the genome?Also called as the “policeman of the oncogenes” referring to its role in conserving stability by preventing genome mutation. What areTumor suppresser genes?

Mutation of p53 is very common in many types of cancers indicating the significance of a functional p53 gene.

Location: The human p53 gene is located on the seventeenth chromosome (17p13.1).Structure The image shows a tetramer of the p53 DNA-binding domain complexed with DNA. The tetramer subunits are shown as light blue, green, orange, and yellow ribbons, with red spheres marking several major "hot spots" of mutation. The DNA is shown in purple and blue with simplified sugars and bases. The p53 protein is a phosphoprotein made of 393 amino acids. It consists of four units (or domains):

A domain that activates transcription factors.

A domain that recognizes specific DNA sequences (core domain).

A domain that is responsible for the tetramerization of the protein.

A domain that recognized damaged DNA, such as misaligned base pairs or single-stranded DNA.